FIRST 15 COUNTRIES TO GRANT WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE

New ZealandIn 1893, New Zealand became the first permanent and independent country topass suffrage laws. Although the Corsican Republic, Pitcairn Island, Isle of Manand the Cook Islands all granted women the right to vote before this year, theseacts were temporary as these countries were colonized and lost the right to vote.In New Zealand, the landmark act did not grant women the right to hold officein Parliament.

AustraliaNine years later, Australia followed suit and also passed a suffrage act forwomen, after independence from Great Britain. This act took effect in 1902,and though it did apply to all women in the new country, aboriginal womenwere left out.

FinlandFinland was the first European country to join the ranks of other, moreprogressive nations in 1906. In that time, the country was called the GrandDuchy of Finland. Women had enjoyed voting rights before this, however,under both Swedish and Russian rule. What was unique about the 1906 rulingis that it also granted women the right to stand for parliament, the first countryin the world to do so.

NorwayNorway granted suffrage in 1913 to women though men in the nation had beenvoting since 1898. The suffrage movement here was led by Gina Krog, and shehelped pioneer a law in 1901 that would allow some women to vote. Thesewomen must have paid a certain amount of taxes or be married to a man whopaid that same amount. Not satisfied, Gina Krog and other women continuedfighting for the next 12 years.

DenmarkParliament in Denmark began discussing women’s suffrage in 1886 though theright was limited to tax paying women living in Copenhagen. Women here gotorganized and formed the Women’s Suffrage Association, which held publicmeetings to discuss women’s rights and questioned parliamentary candidatesabout their views on the matter. Denmark finally granted women suffrage in1915.